Biocontrol agents in the field
Caterpillar
Summary
Students survey biocontrol agents in the field and examine the damage they cause to weeds.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify biocontrol agents for gorse and broom.
- Use appropriate methods to sample biocontrol agents.
- Record observations and manipulate data about biocontrol agents found in the field.
- Make informed guesses aboutthe probable impact of biocontrol agents based on observations.
Suggested prior lessons
- What is a weed?
- Choose your weapon
- Adventures in biocontrol
Curriculum Connections
Science, levels 5-8
Vocabulary/Concepts
carrying capacity, density dependent factors, density independent factors, exponential growth, logistic growth, population,sample.
Time
1-3 hr in the field, plus possible 1 hr classroom follow-up
Materials
- clipboards / pencils
- paper or data sheets
- Gorse and broom biocontrol agents handouts
- calculators (optional)